Child Speech Studies Lab
The Child Speech Studies Lab seeks to increase knowledge about the speech and language challenges faced by children with cleft palate from birth through the early years.
About Our Research
Our current research focuses on speech development of children with cleft palate (CP) up to age 3. We are intrigued with questions related to the impact of clefting on early speech/language development and how these early deficits impact later speech/language learning.
Our longitudinal study (NIH funded) of speech/language development of children with CP provided data related to these questions and challenged current views on the timing of primary palatal surgery. Additionally, this work has answered questions related to early babbling skills, mother-child interaction patterns, pragmatic skills, and the impact of intervention (to name a few) for infants and young children with CP.
We have also been involved in numerous projects related to the genetic bases of speech disorders. That research (which includes collecting behavioral and DNA samples on multigenerational families) is ongoing as well.
Lab Members
Child Speech Studies Projects
Cleft Outcomes Research Network
An NIH funded grant analyzing the speech outcomes of two common surgical techniques at several hospitals in the United States.
Americleft Speech Outcomes Study
An NIH funded grant measuring outcomes. This study analyzed speech outcomes in 5 and 6- year old children with and without cleft palate across the United States.
Phonological Development in Children With/Without Cleft Palate
An NIH funded grant. This was a longitudinal study where we recorded spontaneous speech of children with and without cleft palate.
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